We love everything about the Lone Star state but when it comes to wedding planning in a southern state, there are some additional considerations.
Makeup Tips for Summertime Brides in Texas: Skin Care
To kick off our list with the best bridal makeup tips for Texas heat, we have to start with the base of your masterpiece: your face! Here are a few of the top recommendations for brides who will be married in settings with high temperatures.
Stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water is the bridal skincare tip that often gets overlooked. Leading up to the wedding day, make sure to stay hydrated so that your body gets the water that it needs. Water will help to flush out toxins (like alcohol, which you might be partaking of during pre-wedding activities) and help to get your skin back to a neutral place.
Use makeup that is waterproof. While this seems self-explanatory, it’s worth calling out because of how important it is. Plus, it’s not just about waterproof mascara. From bronzer to concealer, almost all your primary makeup products will be available in waterproof alternatives. Do keep in mind that waterproof makeup might apply a little differently, so we recommend testing out the products beforehand to make sure that you like how they look and feel.
Use oil-free foundation, and make sure that it goes down to your neck. According to The Knot: “If your skin is oily, hydrate it with an oil-free moisturizer. If it's extra oily, skip the moisturizer and just dab a little eye lotion under your eyes. And if your skin is dry, moisturize as usual. To keep the greasies at bay, prepare your skin for foundation by applying an anti-shine product. If you do use foundation, apply an oil-free formula with a foundation brush. After you've applied your liquid foundation, powder your face with a small brush.” (More Summer-Friendly Bridal Beauty Makeup Tips here.)
Don’t forget about setting spray. Setting spray does exactly what you think it would—it helps to set your makeup into place. Once applied, a setting spray will add an additional layer of protection to keep your makeup from smudging or running underneath those sunny rays.
Makeup Advice for Texan Summer Weddings: Lips
Read on for more bridal makeup tips for Texas heat with one very important focal point: your lips!
Exfoliate your lips at least one week before the big day. While your kisser will be needed on the wedding day, prep for your lips should begin ahead of time. For the smoothest and most-kissable lips (that will hold your lipstick in place), try exfoliating your lips up to twice during the week leading up to your wedding. Use a washcloth or delicate facial scrub and rub it back and forth on your lips for about a minute to exfoliate them. (If you’re further out from your wedding day, try this beforehand and see how it feels so that you aren’t trying something new in your beauty routine too close to the big day.)
Start with a layer of foundation or concealer—yes, on your lips! This will help to soak up some of your natural oils that are on your lips so that it’s a more neutral base. It will also help to decrease the chances of your lipstick fading once it’s applied.
Don’t underestimate the importance of lip liner. Even if lip liner isn’t typically a product in your personal makeup bag, it’s an important product to help your lipstick withstand the heat. Most makeup artists line the outside of the lips and then fill them in. (Look for a waterproof liner—especially if you’re in the Houston humidity!)
Opt for a matte lipstick that doesn’t have a lot of shine. Jenn Streicher, Laura Mercier makeup artist and co-owner of cool-girl L.A. salon Striiike says “It’s better to go more matte with your lipstick in the summer,” Streicher advises. “When it’s hot, especially if you’re outside and perspiring, you don’t want everything on your face to be super glossy. The matte-formula lipstick, in other words, balances your glistening skin rather than challenging it to a very public shine-off.” (5 Lipstick Mistakes to Avoid here.)
Have your Maid of Honor stash extra lipstick or lip gloss somewhere safe. From the kisses to the champagne flutes, your lipstick is bound to rub off. If you have someone close to you that can help with an extra application when you need it, then it will be one less thing to worry about and your lipstick will last throughout the night (and the photos!)
With just a little extra planning, your makeup will last from the first look to the grand exit with these bridal makeup tips for Texas heat.
Reasons to Consider a Makeup Trial Before the Wedding
Now that you’re starting to think through your look, make sure you decide whether you’ll do a makeup trial. Hair and makeup trials are an optional wedding prep activity that all brides should take advantage of because they will help set you up for success. Here’s why:
If you’re already getting a hair trial done (which is more common than makeup), then opt to get your face done in the same sitting. This will allow you to see the entire look together. You might decide that the bold lip that you had in mind competes with the curls, or the neutral eye doesn’t pop enough with the way that your bangs sweep to the side.
You will see how your skin responds to the makeup that it isn’t already accustomed to. The worst thing would be to find out that you’re allergic to a specific makeup product while on the big day!
You can start to envision the entire look coming together and see how it actually makes you feel. Are you comfortable, or more conscious than you’d like to be of your makeup? For example, are your eyelashes too long? Does the lipstick wipe off too easily? Does the bronzer rub off? These are all good things to find out in advance!
You can see how the makeup translates in photographs. While you might think that your look will photograph well, it’s best to not make assumptions. You won’t have professional lighting, but you can get an idea of how it translates behind a lens by capturing a few photos. Try a couple of selfies from different angles, and then have a friend take a photo of you from further away.
If you do a makeup and/or hair trial, make sure to have a date scheduled for that night! You can see how your fiancé reacts to your look. If you prefer for it to be a surprise, then schedule some girl time. Just don’t let your look go to waste!
We hope you were able to learn something new with our bridal makeup tips for Texas heat. If you’d like some inspiration from real Joy brides, check out our Texas photography and videography portfolios. The right wedding look will help amplify your photographs and video.
[Photoshoots in the spotlight: Shez + Ahson in Dallas, Sahana + Michael in Houston, Hayley + Cullen in Austin, and Naty + Mario in Dallas, Texas.]
Choose Joy,
The Joy Team